Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign following a mounting revolt inside the Labour Party after devastating local election losses, the resignation of government ministers and growing pressure from senior members of his own cabinet.
Starmer said he would step down as prime minister and Labour leader after concluding he could no longer unite the party, but is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.
“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to his majesty the king this morning to inform him of my decision,” he said while delivering a statement outside of 10 Downing Street.
Starmer also acknowledged growing opposition within his own party, saying, “The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”
Starmer said he would remain caretaker prime minister until Labour members choose a new leader in the coming weeks.
“I will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening on the 9th of July and completed by the summer recess. In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place before Parliament returns in September. I will remain in post as prime minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked Starmer in a Monday post on X: “It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years. European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”
In a Sunday Truth Social post, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Starmer of failing “badly” in two areas, while also wishing the foreign figure well.
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!” Trump declared in the post.
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The announcement follows weeks of turmoil inside Britain’s ruling party after Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, according to reporting from U.K. outlets. The losses were fueled by major gains from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in Labour’s traditional strongholds and by Green Party advances in urban areas.
Starmer’s domestic troubles deepened after a damaging dispute with President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict earlier this year. The British prime minister initially resisted U.S. requests to use British bases during military operations against Iran, prompting Trump to criticize him publicly, saying: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” on March 3.
But after initially drawing a hard line, Starmer later approved limited defensive cooperation with the U.S., angering anti-war lawmakers inside his own party while still failing to satisfy critics who accused him of indecision and weak leadership.
Public frustration over the episode surfaced in YouGov focus groups and polling commentary, where voters described Starmer as “weak,” “indecisive” and overly reactive to Washington.
The crisis escalated after two Labour ministers resigned publicly and called for a leadership transition.
Jess Phillips resigned from her government role after Starmer reportedly refused to step aside during a cabinet meeting. Phillips said Labour needed leadership with more “gusto” and warned the government was failing to deliver the change voters expected, according to The Guardian.
Miatta Fahnbulleh also resigned and called for what she described as an “orderly transition,” according to U.K. media reports Tuesday.
More than 80 Labour MPs publicly called for Starmer to resign. Steven Swinford, political editor at The Times, wrote on X, “What is striking is the fact that they hail from all wings of the party,” adding that roughly a third were centrists, while others came from Labour’s soft-left and hard-left factions.
John Healey defended Starmer publicly before the resignation announcement, saying, “More instability is not in Britain’s interest. Our full focus must be on security.”
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Starmer also faced criticism over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, reviving media scrutiny surrounding Mandelson’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Attention now turns to a potentially divisive Labour leadership contest that will determine both Labour’s next leader and Britain’s next prime minister.
Wes Streeting is viewed as a leading contender from the party’s centrist wing, while Andy Burnham remains popular among Labour’s grassroots having recently won a seat in Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also expected to play a major role in shaping the succession battle.
